Tsumi: Revised
by Schizophrenic Nightmare
Summary: What if Ichiru had never been a sickly child? What if Shizuka's lover's name had never been added to the list? Would two small changes drastically change the future? ZeroxIchiru YuukixKaname; Re-written.
1. Chapter 1: Save the World

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the anime and/or manga, I obviously do not own.**

_Everybody wants to change the world_  
_But no one wants to die_  
_Wanna try, wanna try, wanna try?_  
_I'll be your detonator_  
_-My Chemical Romance_

_**Tsumi**_

_**Chapter One**_

"_**Everybody Wants to Change the World"**_

The Kiryu twins sat side-by-side at their kitchen table, both regarding their parents and sensei with an apprehensive gaze. The two boys looked absolutely indistinguishable, yet their parents and Yagari-sensei could tell who was who by their deportment. Ichiru had more of a slouch, whereas Zero appeared to be more attentive. However, both of their expressions were alert.

"Mother, Father; what is it...?" Zero ventured, his amethyst gaze darting between the three adults in the room.

His father exhaled, yet it was Yagari who spoke. "For what it's worth, I think it's an idiotic idea." he grumbled in his baritone voice. "I know the Headmaster personally, and he's nothing but a fool."

The twins remained silent, not allowing their confusion bleed into their expressions. Eventually, their father cleared his throat. "Boys, we're thinking of sending you to Cross Academy." he stated, eyes in his lap as he fiddled with the bottom of his shirt nervously. A brave hunter he could be, but a disappointment to his kids was what he vowed to avoid being at all costs. He wasn't afraid of being surrounded by mindless, starved level E's; only the thought of his sons' disappointment in him could chill him to the bone.

"Cross Academy?" Ichiru inquired in his light voice, his head tilted to the side. "Isn't that the school with the vampires? It sounds fun."

"Ichiru!" the elder of the two scolded hid brother, his expression one of displeasure. "It could be dangerous!"

The younger boy's lips dropped in what looked to be a pout. However, it was not - Ichiru Kiryu did not pout!

"Brother… Are you afraid of tame vampires?"

"Of course not." Zero scoffed lightly, as if the idea was absolutely preposterous.

Their mother let out a quiet chuckle, smiling fondly at her sons. "Listen, you two. You'll never guess who the Headmaster is."

"A vampire?" was Zero's grunted response, sneering in disgust.

"A vampire _hunter_," Yagari corrected, placing a cigar on his lips and lighting it, earning him a sharp glare from the mother of his students, which he ignored skilfully. He wasn't supposed to smoke in their house, but this situation was causing him unnecessary stress. "He was known as 'The Vampire without Fangs'. He used to be ruthless; the very best. But now, he's nothing but a senile old man, and I don't trust him around my cute students."

The silver haired man smiled fondly at his old friend. "Sometimes I forget who their father is." he joked warmly.

Yagari smiled - a brief upward twitch of his lips - before taking a drag of the cigar, allowing his shoulders to relax.

"So if he's a hunter, then it should be okay!" Ichiru decided with a smile- vastly differing from the scowl on his brother's lips.

"So you agree with their pacifist views?" said brother spat in a hostile manner. He didn't mean to be reacting so viciously, but he was not at all comfortable with the thought of his brother being close to vampires. He knew Ichiru could look after himself, but still…

"I wouldn't say I agree, but I do approve…" Ichiru's smile morphed into a frown, taken aback by his brother's rancorous tone.

Their fair-haired mother called the younger boy over and whispered in his ear, while Yagari scowled disapprovingly at his eldest student. Of course, he didn't believe in pacifism either - to him, vampires would always be the enemy - yet he wasn't one to act out so harshly against ones who supported it.

"Zero!" Ichiru called, suddenly pulling away from his mother to wrap his arms around his beloved brother. "If we don't go, who will keep the vampires in line and protect the students? There is only one headmaster."

The parents watched their children with knowing smiles. Zero always had a hard time saying 'no' to his twin.

"Big brother?"

"Alright," Zero sighed heavily, giving in. "I'll go, but only to protect the humans."

With a fervent grin, Ichiru released his brother, only to drop into his previously vacant seat next to Zero, swinging his legs in a juvenile manner. "We're going to Cross Academy! We're going to Cross Academy!" he chanted exultantly.

"We get it," Zero snapped, only to be ignored by his puerile twin.

"You know," Yagari rumbled suddenly, his sole eye on the two. "It's times like this that I forget he's a teenager."

"He has a young heart." Their mother smiled dotingly at her only children, laughing quietly as Zero covered his ears to avoid Ichiru's incessant chanting.

**A/N: Rewritten. Thoughts? I think I prefer it this way. Not that I think my previous beta did anything wrong, but I harbour rather… ill feelings towards my previous style of writing.**

**Warning: über long author's note ahead.**

**Now, this story started out as simply as a way for me to fangirl over Kiryucest in eighth grade, and I like to think that it's grown a little over the years. I am now in eleventh grade - not exactly true, but it's easier to say, rather than going into the complicated details of my schooling - and not exactly the most faithful at updating, but with what has been thrown at me these past few years, I'm doing what I can. Not my best, mind you, but what I can do.**

**Certain parts of this story are inspired by Doctor Who, **_**however, **_**this will not become a sci-fi. Don't worry; we won't have aliens or attractive immortal humans running around. I have known from the start, many years ago, that in this story, Ichiru would snap. I've decided to model his insanity after **_**The Master**_**'****s, but it won't be completely alike.**


	2. Chapter 2: Ignorance

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the anime and/or manga, I obviously do not own.**

_You treat me just like another stranger  
Well it's nice to meet you, sir  
I guess I'll go, I'll best be on my way out  
Ignorance is your new best friend  
-Paramore_

_**Tsumi**_

_**Chapter Two**_

"_**Ignorance Is Your New Best Friend"**_

Once again, the Kiryu twins found themselves sitting in identical poses, side-by-side. However, this time, they were sitting across from an elder man who was wearing an impressively serious expression. The man's adopted daughter stood next to Zero, posing in an awkward attempt to be stiff and alert.

"Yagari has explained to me who you are, and I am familiar with the name 'Kiryu'." the man began, his tone rather boyish, despite his age. Suddenly, an abnormally large smile broke out on his face, looking comical when coupled with his large spectacles. "So I'd like to offer you both a spot on the Disciplinary Committee with my adorable daughter!" Kaien announced cheerfully, in a sing-song voice.

"Disciplinary Committee?" the two boys inquired harmoniously, before a sadistic smile broke out on Ichiru's face. "Sounds interesting." he commented, much to Zero's chagrin. "And working with such a cute girl? Bonus."

Suddenly, the headmaster's ardent beam became an expression of something akin to chibi-like anger, as he raised a fist in the air. "Now listen here, young man! My Yuuki is not to be the subject of your testosterone fuelled daydreams! I know how you young boys are! Also, you are prohibited to try to court my daughter!"

Smile still intact, Ichiru tilted his head somewhat, before saying "I apologize, Headmaster; I didn't mean it that way. I only meant that it would be an honour to work with such a charming woman. I have no romantic interest in your daughter."

The Headmaster flailed slightly, before adjusting his glasses. "Yes, well… Good."

Zero couldn't help but to roll his eyes at his brother's antics, before sliding his weary gaze to Kaien. Yagari had left them with the warning that the man was crazy, but aside from his bipolar attitude and his tremendously gargantuan smile, he seemed to be normal. The boy was still suspecting the man to suddenly pull a large knife out of his drawer and butcher them where they stood.

"Now, you'll be joining my precious Yuuki in making sure that the Day Class and Night Class remain separated, and patrol the grounds regularly, so that you can make sure the Night Class students are behaving - not that I doubt my cute students would misbehave!" Once again, the man was beatifically buoyant.

Just as Zero opened his mouth to voice his disagreement, Ichiru skilfully cut in with "I think my brother and I can handle that."

The Cross girl's chestnut hued orbs were trained on the two, her interest obvious in the way she blatantly stared at the twins. They were both astoundingly alluring with their exotically good looks and playful natures, but they were trained vampire hunters, meaning they could become callous, astute, and brutal, slaying vampires with little hesitation.

"Yuuki~!" the Headmaster suddenly sang. The boys could literally hear the tilde after the girl's name, giving his voice a melodic lilt. "Are they good enough for the Disciplinary Committee?"

The twins' identical amethyst orbs were trained on the girl's petite form, causing her to grow nervous. "Uh- yes! I think so… I-I mean, they seem nice enough?"

"Nice?" Ichiru reiterated, his velvety voice harbouring a scandalized tone. "She thinks I'm _nice_?!"

The boy's twin brother rolled his eyes once more, though his mirth was evident in the twinkling of his heliotrope toned irises. "Ichiru, calm down." he demanded in a faux-stern tone. "When she gets to know you better, she'll see that you're an evil mastermind."

"Ah, that reminds me!" Ichiru's voiced retained its usual condescending cadence as he quickly took to his brother's statement. "I need to change my name to Stormageddon."

Zero couldn't hold back his unrefined snort of amusement.

Almost as if the conversation between the boys had not happened, Kaien opened a drawer on his desk, before withdrawing several white bands with red symbols on them. He gingerly handed them to Yuuki and the twins. They each inspected their bands, before gazing at the Headmaster with solemn expressions.

"The safety of my students resides in your hands."

The three teens voiced their positive opinions, before bowing to the Headmaster and leaving the office. It was Yuuki's duty to lead the boys to the sun dormitories and Zero noted wearily that his brother had developed an interest in the petite brunette.

"So…" Ichiru drawled in a casual tone. "You're his daughter?"

Yuuki inclined her head in agreement. "My first memory is of a vampire attacking me when I was five." she informed them in a somber tone. "Kaname-senpai saved my life, and he took me to the Headmaster. He took me in and adopted me without knowing who I was."

"Kaname?" Zero inquired, his tone one of disbelief. "As in pureblood _Kaname Kuran_?"

With another nod and a soft smile, Yuuki answered with a soft "Yes. He and I have known each other for a long time. I'd like to think that we're close, but we've drifted apart over the years."

Ichiru adopted a thoughtful countenance, his silvery eyebrows furrowing in a rather adorable way. "How interesting. A pureblood vampire saves a mere human girl and stays by her side for years." Zero had to admit, it was rather curious. However, hunters were taught to stay out of the affairs of purebloods.

"I don't know why he's stayed with me for so long, but whatever it is, I'm thankful for it."

With a minute upward quirk of his lips, Ichiru continued voicing his thoughts as they ran through his head. "And as cliché as it is, the human girl falls in love with the irresistible, untouchable vampire."

The chestnut haired girl paused in mid-step, gaping at the boy in shock. "W-what?"

"Ichiru is very observant." Zero enlightened, aiming a small, proud smile at his brother. "He notices things that others usually miss."

Yuuki bowed her head, nibbling at her delicate, petal-like lip. "Perhaps I've been lying to myself all along." she whispered to herself, barely audible to the twins.

"Perhaps," Ichiru replied in an uninterested tone. "Can we change the subject now? I'm not one for cliché romance-novel plots."

A frown briefly passed over the petite brunette's face, before she smiled brightly. "Prefects get anti-vampire weapons! What do you hope to get?"

"A katana, preferably. Though a simple knife would do well." Needless to say, Ichiru approved of the subject change. "Zero would prefer a gun, though. Not nearly as artistic or creative."

"But it gets the job done." Zero defended, his voice stern, before he turned his gaze to Yuuki. "Are you a skilled fighter? If you were attacked, could you hold your own?

A sheepish expression crossed the young girl's face, and she scratched the back of her head. "W-well, I wouldn't be able to take down a vampire all by myself, but I can at least hold it off until someone can help." she admitted with a small smile.

Zero and Ichiru exchanged a look. She wouldn't last long. Eventually, Zero said "That won't keep you alive when you're surrounded by vampires. Ichiru and I will give you tips."

"I-… Thank you, Zero-kun." Yuuki bowed her head in a gesture of thanks, before blinking in surprise when she lifted her head. "Oh, we're here!"

They were indeed standing before a tall, wide building that housed the many day class students. There were many floors, and Zero predicted that he'd get lost a few times, leading to him growing exceedingly irritated and angry. His attention was brought back to the present when the chime of keys met his ears. He glanced up to see Yuuki handing Ichiru a set of keys, before receiving his own.

Yuuki then unlocked the door, before ushering the twins in. She gave them instructions to boys dorms, told them which floor their room was on, then bid them a good night and crept off. Ichiru desirously sauntered off into the shadows, eager to find their dorm. He wanted the best bed first. Zero sighed, following him through the dimly lit corridors. He still wasn't too keen on being here. Ichiru was tough and could look after himself, but there was still a chance that he could get hurt, and Zero didn't like that at all.

Quite some time ago, the eldest twin realized it that he felt a little more than safe and secure in his brother's embrace, and that his heart beat a little too fast when Ichiru gave him a casual kiss on the cheek, and that he enjoyed it a little too much when Ichiru slept all pressed up against him. However, he knew these feelings were wrong, so he never once acted upon them. Besides, there was no way his brother returned the feelings.

There was also the lingering feeling that it was just too _wrong._

"Ah, here it is!" Ichiru announced, halting by a door. Zero hadn't known how to tell, but this one apparently had the same number as their key. Ichiru unlocked the door to prove that he was right, and both boys were delighted to see that their belongings had already been delivered, and their uniforms and school books were sitting on a desk in the corner of the room.

The twins exchanged a look, Ichiru smirking devilishly, and Zero arching an eyebrow, before they moved. Ichiru leapt towards the bed closest to the window, while Zero sprinted. They were racing to get the best bed.

"I claimed it!" Ichiru screeched as he landed on it, only to find Zero already sitting on it, in the process of removing his shoes. "Damn it!" With a few curse words - that Zero usually would have scolded him for, had he not been gloating - Ichiru moved to the other bed and undressed quickly.

"It's not my fault that your need to be dramatic slows you down." Zero teased lightly as he too undressed.

Ichiru flashed his brother a sugary sweet smile as he crawled under the covers. "Good night, Zero." he cooed in a parody of a loving tone, causing Zero to frown in disapproval. He figured that Ichiru would try something in his sleep to get back at him. As much as Ichiru loved his brother, he also loved getting his way.

As the eldest twin finished undressing, he silently slid into his bed, making up his mind. No sleep for him tonight. Too dangerous.

The eldest Kiryu son sat with a slouch in his posture and a furrow in his brow. He never liked being the centre of attention, and he didn't know how to handle _this_ kind of attention. Ichiru, however, seemed to be perfectly comfortable with the many girls surrounding them with hearts in their eyes and girly squeals spilling from their lips. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying their advances and shallow compliments.

It made Zero sick.

"Shouldn't you be in the Night Class?" a pretty brunette girl inquired, her emerald orbs sparkling happily as she twirled her curly tresses with her fingers.

"No, of course not." Ichiru answered her, an amused grin on his lips. "Why would you say that?"

The girl beamed at him, happy to be acknowledged. "Because you're just as cute as they are! And you both seem so mysterious…" The girl trailed off as Zero directed his fierce gaze in her direction. With a nervous gulp, she quivered where she stood.

"_Go away_." Zero hissed, biting back a snarl.

"Your brother is better than you!" she cried out, before rushing off daintily to her desk, where her friends comforted her with soothing words and warm hugs. Zero's eye twitched irritably.

"Calm down, big brother." Ichiru commented slyly, catching both Zero's and Yuuki's attention. "If you were a little nicer, you might actually manage to bed a woman."

Girls giggled around them, causing Zero's mood to worsen. He hated them. Hated them all. At that moment, they could all defend themselves against the night class, for all he cared. With grit teeth, he glowered at his little brother. "At least I'm not desperate enough to flirt with anything in a skirt."

The girls whom Zero loathed only giggled louder, and the teen received an amused smirk from his younger brother, coupled with an arched eyebrow. They both knew that Ichiru was interested in both sexes, but as the boy had not come out at this school yet, he refrained from mentioning it.

"If you're referring to that Scottish man, I didn't realize it was a kilt." Ichiru joked playfully, before leaning back in his seat as a girl began massaging his shoulders. "However, you're only like this when you don't sleep well. Rough night?"

Ichiru's plan all along was to cause Zero to believe he would do something, when in reality, he was going to have a restful sleep while his brother fretted restlessly all night. His plan worked perfectly.

"_Go to hell_," Zero snarled viciously.

"But I'm enjoying heaven~." the boy moaned as the girl's fingers pressed into a particularly sensitive part of his shoulders.

"Zero…?" a quiet voice inquired hesitantly, causing said teen to glance down at the girl sitting at the desk before him. Yuuki's expression was one of concern- concern for someone she hadn't known for all that long. "Is something wrong?"

Guilty. The boy felt guilty for scaring the small girl with his foul mood. "No, Ichiru is right." Zero replied in a mutter. "I didn't sleep very well."

"Oh, I understand." The petite girl offered a small, devious smile. "Why don't you get revenge on your brother for mocking you?"

Zero arched an eyebrow at the Cross girl, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I'm listening." he commented curiously.

The girl's smile morphed into a frown at the realization that he thought she had a plan. "Well, I don't know him well, but if you come up with something, I'd be glad to help!"

Zero gave no answer, save for a quiet sigh. His exhausted mind was unable to formulate a form of revenge that wasn't too drastic, nor too weak. Slumping in his seat, he supported his chin with his hand, elbow against the desk. Through a crack in the school girls crowding him, he could see two girls at their desk, on the other side of the room. They were ignoring the twins in favour of a teenage boy with long, golden locks down to his chin. At least there were some normal girls in the class - aside from Yuuki, at least.

Suddenly, their sensei - who was quite late - entered the room with a bright smile. The fan girls rushed back to their seats, continuing to giggle amongst themselves. As their teacher reached his desk, he observed the class carefully, seeing all the focus on the twins.

"Greetings, students! I recognize most of you lazy brats from last year." He gave a playful roll of his sapphire orbs, before a smirk graced his lips. "I see two new faces. Twins! Oh, this will be a pain. So, who is who?"

Zero and Ichiru exchanged a look, confirming their plan, before Ichiru rose to his feet and bowed respectfully to his new sensei. "I am Kiryu Ichiru." he murmured softly in a polite tone, before sitting down once more- but not after giving Zero an obvious, exaggerated wink.

The eldest twin then rose and followed his brother's example, dipping into a bow. "And I am Kiryu Zero." he commented, before nodding once to his brother in a more subtle, but still noticeable manner. He dropped back into his seat and both boys leered at their sensei.

The man fell for the bait and arched his eyebrows, though he said nothing. Yuuki, however, scratched at her head in confusion.

"What's wrong, Yuuki?" her friend, Sayori Wakaba inquired, concern colouring her tone.

"Well, I met them last night, and they seemed like the type to pretend to be each other, but they didn't." Yuuki frowned at the paper before her, confused about their sudden honesty.

"To be honest, I thought that they were pretending to be each other." Sayori admitted with a small grin, before saying "But you can tell them apart? That's amazing, Yuuki!"

Yuuki waved her hands in a modest manner, flushing darkly. "N-no, that's not it at all! I can just tell by their manner and posture. Zero is a more serious person…"

Sayori glanced back to see the one known as Zero had folded his arms on the desk, before resting his chin on them, eyes closed. Upon noticing the tender look Ichiru was giving his brother, the girl turned back around to give them their moment. Though Ichiru made no comment, he was grateful, as the privacy enabled him to run his fingers through his brother's hair, a small smile on his lips.

Even though they pranked and occasionally fought with one another, they truly did love each other. They couldn't imagine life without their other half and wouldn't hesitate to give their lives for each other.

Five minutes later, and the man at the front began to suspect that one of his students had fallen asleep, and intended to call on the boy. Ichiru's observant amethyst irises noticed, and he poked his brother with the tip of his pencil, before subtly shoving the notes he'd taken under Zero's nose.

Zero groggily sat up and began to read, something of a frown on his lips. "Busted?" he inquired quietly, his frown morphing into a glare, which he planned to aim at his sensei- a strong, vicious one, that would cause the man to regret being born.

"Read the notes," Ichiru urged. His words caused Zero's glare to transform into a smirk. Ichiru rarely took notes but when he did, they were only for instances like their current one, and they weren't really notes- more of a script. Or rather, prompts for a script.

"Kiryu-kun… were you sleeping in my class?" His voice was incredulous- as if no one had ever done so before.

Zero's eyebrows furrowed in faux confusion. "No…?" he replied as innocently as he could.

"Prove it. What were we discussing?" The teacher couldn't help but to smirk, thinking that he'd just owned his student.

Zero gave the notes one last glance, before launching into a detailed explanation on what the sensei had been preaching to the class. The notes pointed out that the teacher had made a mistake in his lecture, so in a humble tone, Zero corrected him - using polite words, rather than what Ichiru had written - before his lips parted to let out a tired yawn. As his head hit the desk in an exhausted manner, Ichiru smiled smugly at his teacher.

The man cleared his throat. "Well…it would seem that I've been trumped by your brother. However, _Ichiru_, I believe that _you _were behind this somehow."

Ichiru arched a thin eyebrow incredulously. "Sensei? You don't trust me?" he all but whined. It had been less than an hour. Oh, he was good.

Their sensei scoffed in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? First of all, twins set off alarms in a teachers head, and judging by your little trick before, you're not the good kind."

Fan girls cried out, scolding their new teacher for being rude, and Yuuki even looked as if she was going to complain, had it not been for the smiles on both boys' faces. They found it amusing. Judging by the smirk on their sensei's lips, he'd just fallen into their trap.

Ichiru quickly began scribbling something out under the notes he'd taken, and Zero sat up a little straighter to direct attention towards him. He knew this trick. They liked to do the twin thing an harmonize their speech- however, they couldn't do so without rehearsing and scripting before hand.

The youngest twin wrote the script in short hand to save time. By the time he was finished, their sensei had a victoriously smug air about him as he instructed "Stand up and introduce yourselves properly."

"Our pleasure. " the boys drawled in an eerie manner that wiped the smirk off their sensei's lips, causing him to feel uneasy.

Zero bowed formally once more, softly saying "I am Kiryu Ichiru."

As Ichiru bowed and introduced himself as his brother, the eldest twin carefully read what Ichiru had scrawled under the notes, his lips twitching. He felt Ichiru's hand brush his own, and he opened his mouth to speak, knowing his voice would be harmonized with his brother's.

"We apologize for tricking you." the two boys said, giving another bow of mock-apology.

"My brother and I are excited to be at Cross Academy," Ichiru began, a sly grin on his lips.

"And we are pleased to make your acquaintance." Zero finished eerily. The two gave one last bow, before returning to their seats.

Their teacher's fair complexion had paled noticeably, but he made a quick recovery as he pointed a ruler at the two. "Well, you _are_ quite the characters, aren't you? I claim you as my minions. Now, you two would do well to behave in my class, or I'll be forced to exterminate you!"

The two boys shared a secret smile, while realization dawned upon the petite brunette girl seated before them. "So _that's_ what they were doing!" she exclaimed suddenly, much to Sayori's chagrin.

"Uh… Yuuki…" she began, before giggling softly. She'd realized what they were doing just before their teacher called on the boys.

She glanced up at the boys one last time, and noticed that they were sitting just a little closer together than before, and that while they were both seemingly concentrating on taking notes on the lecture that their sensei had resumed, it was almost as if their hands were touching under the desk.

**A/N: -sighs loudly- This was a real bitch to get out. Improvements here and there. I believe it would have been better if I re-wrote it from scratch, but I'm blindly reaching for the plot as it has escaped my memory, so I thought it would be better if I used the original as an outline. Not to fear, however! I've already written out parts of future chapters and my-oh-**_**my, **_**do things get dramatic!**

**Review, please! I love you all!**


	3. Chapter 3: I've Yet To Take a Hint

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the anime and/or manga, I obviously do not own.**

_Don't get me wrong  
I know you've got your life in place  
I've yet to take a hint, someday  
I'm sure I'll get the picture  
-All Time Low  
_

_**Tsumi**_

_**Chapter Three**_

"_**I've Yet to Take a Hint"**_

The sun was setting, bathing Cross Academy in an ethereal golden glow. The air was peaceful and the only sounds heard were the footsteps of students and the songs of the birds, bidding farewell to the sun. Zero, Ichiru and Yuuki were standing by the gates to the moon dormitory, each caught in their own thoughts; broken only when the gates swung open, revealing the erudite, exquisite night class in all their glory.

Very few day class students had managed to snag a glimpse of the night class on the night of their arrival, but word of their aesthetic perfection had spread. Small clusters of awed girls were spread along the path to the academy. The groups were small in size, but overwhelming in numbers. There was a hushed silence over the academy, giving an disconcerting, yet serene feeling. The girls watched in awe as the night class hesitantly ventured out from behind the gates.

A vampire Zero identified as the son of Aido was first, causing the hunter to frown. Hanabusa had quite the reputation and he could see by the winks and suggestive smiles he was aiming at the giggling girls, the rumours weren't exaggerating.

Yuuki was the one who approached him. She squared her shoulders in an attempt to look stern as she schooled her facial features into a strict expression. "You are to go directly to class." she instructed in a firm tone.

"My, my, my; you must be Yuuki." the blonde vampire commented lightly, striding towards the girl, before taking her hand and gently brushing his lips against it. "I'm Aido Hanabusa."

Just as Zero made to move forwards and snarl at the aristocratic vampire, a deep "Aido," had him rooted to the spot. The name was said calmly, but with a threatening underlay. There was no doubt as to who had spoken.

"My apologies, Kaname-sama," Hanabusa slowly backed away from the girl with a bow, before moving on. Zero noted that he was less ardent in his flirting. Losing interest, he turned back to Yuuki, to see the pureblood speaking to her. Before he could express his distaste, Ichiru nudged him, causing him to glance at his twin.

Ichiru was watching another vampire.

The grandson of Ichijo.

The blonde must have sensed their gazes, as he casually made his way towards them, before offering a brilliant smile. "Hello! You two must be the Kiryu twins!"

Ichiru arched an eyebrow, amused, whilst Zero scowled. "Do you see any other twins?" he drawled, coaxing a chuckle from the flaxen haired vampire.

"I suppose not. My apologies."

"Hn," Zero grunted, ending the conversation. He loathed the vampires. They were cruel, unnatural creatures. There was no need for this one to act so friendly. It was unheard of.

Ichiru gently knocked Zero's chest with his hand, amethyst orbs focused on the friendly vampire. "Brother, no." he murmured softly, eyes narrowing. "I like him."

With a bright grin, the vampire bowed playfully. "I am Ichijo Takuma."

"Ichijo…" Ichiru repeated quietly, nodding to himself in confirmation, before turning away. "Never mind; I'm tired of him."

With those words, the twins wordlessly left the vampire, ushering others forward when they were straying from the path, and giving warnings to humans when they wandered too close. Of course, Zero growled out warnings whilst Ichiru playfully coaxed the girls away.

Takuma shook his head at how absurd the twins were. They were unlike anyone - human, vampire or hunter - he'd ever met before. He had to wonder, had it been his name that the boy had not like? His grandfather was not very popular with the hunters, despite the rumours circling that Asato had been funding the association lately.

Once the vampires were in class and the students had all moved on for bed, Zero relaxed, while Ichiru beamed smugly. The two began walking towards a fountain with a pretty swan design, speculating on the night.

"You know, vampires don't seem as bad as we though." Ichiru commented, causing Zero to frown in distaste.

"These vampires are of noble class, and Kuran is a pureblood. You know they would act well behaved. It's mainly level E's that hunters are sent to persecute." he muttered, before his frown deepened into a scowl. "I thought that nobles were all arrogant and egotistical, but that Ichijo was something else."

"I know!" Ichiru agreed with a light snicker. "I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. With a grandfather like Ichio! But that Aidou seemed like fun…"

Rather than responding, Zero rested his head against his sibling's shoulder, drawing a deep breath. He felt Ichiru's arms encircle his waist and found himself relaxing. A quiet yawn escaped his lips, though it was muffled by the cloth of his brother's uniform.

"We still have to do rounds, Zero." Ichiru pointed out, amusement colouring his tone.

"Shut up, you idiot."

"Jackass,"

"Bastard,"

"Asshole,"

A quiet snicker was heard, before Zero quietly mumbled out a shy "Love you,".

Ichiru's eyes softened and he felt his heart let out a desperate pang as he held his brother tighter. "Love you too."

The two boys were undressing in silence, each with heavy thoughts on their mind. As Zero slipped his school jacket off his shoulders, he glanced up to see Ichiru pulling a tank top over his head, silvery strands of hair pointing every way possible. Biting back a fond chuckle, he removed his undershirt and folded both garments, before pulling on his long-sleeved bed shirt. By the time he was fully dressed in his pyjamas, Ichiru was putting away both of their uniforms, clad in only a white tank top and loose-fitting sweat pants.

It was adorable.

Zero preferred pyjamas that covered more skin. He despised the cold. The eldest twin yawned quietly, before relocating his gaze to the wooden floorboards. "Ichiru…" he began, his tone soft- almost inaudible.

"Hmm?" Ichiru turned away from the drawers to face his brother curiously. "What is it?"

A fine pink dusted Zero's ivory cheeks as he cleared his throat. "If you don't feel comfortable sleeping in that bed… you're welcome to share mine."

The youngest Kiryu tilted his head thoughtfully. It could be his chance. He'd always loved his brother. At first, it was platonic, brotherly devotion but as he grew, it became something less unadulterated. However, with his unruly teenage hormones, he also found himself lusting after his brother. Unlike Zero, he did not shy away from these thoughts. He was not put off by anything forbidden. Any taboo interested him.

"I'll think about it." was the quiet reply.

After all, his verboten feelings aside, it had been quite some time since he'd done something as simple, yet gratifying as snuggling up to his brother in his sleep. He did miss it, and quite immensely so.

The twins brushed their teeth side-by-side, comfortable silence as their companions. Once their hygienic needs had been taken care of, Zero climbed into his bed, while Ichiru hesitated.

The youngest twin gazed at his bed. It seemed so desolate, bitter and looming. Just looking at it caused him to shiver and cross his arms in an attempt to ward off the cold. His lilac irises then regarded Zero's bed, which seemed so warm and welcoming.

Without a second thought, the teen crawled into Zero's bed and buried himself within the covers. Hesitating only momentarily, he wrapped his arms around his twin, pulling him closer.

"W-..what are you doing?" Zero asked lowly. The husky tone sent shivers down Ichiru's spine, causing him to smile widely.

"I'm taking you up on your offer, of course." he commented lightly. "Or had you already forgotten?" He gave a quiet laugh, pressing his lips against Zero's silken tresses.

Zero relaxed in his hold and rolled over to pull Ichiru closer still. "Night," he yawned, already drifting off to sleep.

"Sleep well," Ichiru sighed, closing his eyes.

"_Oh God, he's so dreamy!"_

"_Which one? I can't tell them apart!"_

"_They both are!"_

"_I can't either."_

"_The nicer one must be the older one, Zero-kun."_

Ichiru couldn't help but to snicker at the decision the girls reached. He had no intention of revealing that he was their beloved Zero-kun. He was curious as to how the real Zero would react. However, beyond a twitching eye and lips curled into a snarl, Zero did not react. Ichiru found it fascinating.

The girls cried out, giggled, spoke in breathy voices, whispered, tittered and whimpered. Ichiru humoured them. He enjoyed the attention. Zero eyed the girls distastefully, but when he saw how much Ichiru was enjoying himself, his expression was dangerous.

Out of the blue, a chubby girl with red hair that flowed to her elbows approached the twins. A confident smile was on her lips and an eyebrow was arched. Her emerald orbs danced and shone in delight and she had an air of humour about her. She was not exactly the picture of beauty, but she wasn't unattractive either. However, she exuded confidence which caused her to seem more attractive.

There was a girl behind her. Shorter than Yuuki and more slim than Zero. She had raven hair in a lone pigtail on one side of her head, and a fringe that hid her sapphire orbs from view. She seemed timid and fragile. Again, she was not a real beauty like some of the other girls in the class, but something about her timorous disposition set off protective, maternal instincts in the boys they didn't realize they possessed.

"I'm Takada Kimiko and this is Miyazaki Arrai." The confident girl spoke. Her voice was loud, but not gratingly so. She seemed to be the cheerful optimist type.

_Aren't they the girls who were ignoring us yesterday? _Ichiru pondered, before arching an eyebrow. "You're not frothing at the mouth." A expression of confusion crossed the girl's face, while Arrai covered her mouth to muffle a tiny giggle. "Why would we be?" Kimiko inquired.

The raven haired girl poked her friend's arm. "Rabid fan girls." she commented in a timid voice, gesturing to the girls around them, who were not looking pleased that they were now the centre of attention. Upon that realization, Arrai cowered subtly behind her friend.

Kimiko's jade eyes danced mirthfully. "Oh, well, we're not your typical fan girls. Meaning, we don't care that there are super pretty twins in our class. Well, we care, but we're not trying to crawl into your bed sheets."

Ichiru laughed in true, absolute amusement. Now _here _was a girl he could get along with. The fan girls weren't anything past some entertainment and a bit of an ego boost, and Yuuki could hold something of an intelligent conversation, but this girl would probably get him on a level not even Zero could.

"Fair enough. Now, is there something I can do for you?" He was speaking normally, rather than flirting with them- a sign he was taking them seriously. Zero leant back in his seat, watching them curiously.

Suddenly, Arrai turned a pleasant pink and tried to hide her face. Kimiko payed no mind, and began to speak. "Arrai-kun says that she thinks you two were telling the truth when you introduced yourselves properly, and acted suspicious on purpose, to trick others into thinking that you were lying. And… I agree. So?"

Zero let out a quiet chuckle. "Busted," he noted, causing Kimiko to beam and Arrai to attempt to peek at them over her friend's shoulder.

"You two are pretty good," Ichiru noted, a smirk making its way onto his face. "Don't go revealing our secret to everyone."

"Of course not!" Kimiko snorted, before Arrai tugged on the girl's sleeve. The two then left, allowing the twins to exchange a look. Then, Ichiru flashed a small, fatigued smile, showing that the fan girls were wearing him out too. Zero didn't say anything, but Ichiru knew there was an invitation, so he took it. He shifted closer to his brother, before cuddling up to him, yawning quietly. Zero ran his fingers through his brother's hair with a small, sweet smile.

The fan girls cooed at how cute they were, guys made particularly nasty comments, and Zero swore he saw Kimiko grinning a them in a terrifying way from the other side of the room. It embarrassed him, but he said nothing. However, he was beginning to grow irritated.

"Those Kiryu's are incestuous bastards." one guy hissed to another.

"Nah, I bet that one on top is forcing the one under him into it. He doesn't look like he's enjoying himself too much."

Ichiru didn't need to look up to know that his brother was probably glaring at some inanimate object. That's just how Zero was. He certainly seemed depressed to an outsider, and he was distant and reserved when speaking with someone he hadn't grown up with. Ichiru briefly wondered how Zero would find someone to spend his life with, before he felt a surge of anger course through his veins.

Jealousy.

Ichiru couldn't fight the smirk that spread across his lips. _Ah, so it's gotten to that point already?_

"You know, Zero," he began lightly. "If you smiled a little, people wouldn't think I was forcing you into a taboo relationship." He snuggled closer, thankful for the fact that their sensei was late.

"Mm, taboo. Isn't that your favourite word?" Though the words were quiet, Ichiru knew that Zero was fine. Probably just a little embarrassed.

"Why, yes it is. I'm all for the unmentionable. Perhaps we should give incest a try?" he purred in a low, seductive voice.

Zero flushed noticeably, and looked away. He was mentally flailing for words. It was a joke. It was only a joke. He knew that, but it didn't stop his heart from pounding. "In your dreams." he finally retorted.

"Oh, it will be." Ichiru cooed. The horrible comment caused Zero to snort, and fan girls to giggle. That washed away Zero's amusement. They'd all been listening. Just at that moment, the door opened and their sensei entered the room. The students all snapped to attention while Zero shoved Ichiru off of him.

"Good morning, Minions!" Their sensei chirped out his regular greeting, strolling towards the blackboard.

A few students replied with a half-hearted "Good morning, Hauro-sensei."

Hauro-sensei threw them straight into work, beginning a lecture as he scribbled out notes on the blackboard. The lesson was fairly simple, but it did not capture everyone's interest. The mood was sluggish and slow, and only a handful of students were working attentively - Zero included. However, the vast majority of students were either slowly dragging their pencils down the paper, or had already given up on that and were daydreaming. There was no chatter. No one had the energy.

Ichiru was drawing cheeky doodles on his work, pencilling in smart-aleck, yet correct answers to the questions Hauro-sensei began to write out on the board. He'd get detention for sure, but he was far too relaxed to care. With a quiet yawn, Ichiru licked his lips before glancing over at his brother.

Zero was deep in concentration, gnawing at his lip. He didn't look up when he felt his brother's head lean against his shoulder, nor when he felt his brother's lips on his cheek. However, when he felt Ichiru's hand brush over his thigh, he dropped his pencil, cheeks dusted a light pink, and peeked at his brother. Without a second thought, he snatched Ichiru's wrist.

"_Stop_," he hissed.

"Why?" Ichiru's mischievous smile grew, curling his lips. He didn't bother to lift his head from his brother's shoulder, instead tilting his face upwards so he could whisper "Am I turning you on, Zero?"

The light pink flushed burned a bright red. This shouldn't be happening. This was his little brother! Yet, he could feel a stirring in his abdomen, telling him that one little fact didn't matter. It felt _good_.

"Oh, you're blushing! So I'm right?" Ichiru nuzzled into his brother's neck.

"No way!" Zero snapped angrily, shoving his brother off. "I'm not an incestuous freak!"

Ichiru stiffened, before he picked up his pencil. "Forgive me," he murmured, expertly keeping the hurt from leaking into his voice. "I was only playing."

With an exhale, Zero hid his face in his palm. "I'm sorry." he apologized, to which Ichiru merely nodded.

**A/N: I appologize for disappearing for so long! Technical difficulties... ^^' triple update to apologize! Reviews are appreciated and cherished! ; u ;**


	4. Chapter 4: I'm Your Fool

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the anime and/or manga, I obviously do not own.**

_I've got another confession to make:  
__I'm your fool  
Everyone's got their chains to break  
Holding you  
-Foo Fighters_

_**Tsumi**_

_**Chapter Four**_

"_**I'm Your Fool"**_

The number of girls lining up for the switch over had increased by half the original amount. They were louder than ever, and some even struggled and fought amongst themselves. Ichiru noted that Takuma Ichijo had given him a puzzled glance as he passed by. The boy merely smirked to himself, before helping Yuuki usher away the beginnings of a fan club. Zero, however, had found a more effective strategy: he yelled and screamed at the girls.

Ichiru couldn't help but to half-heartedly flirt with the girls. He found it worked almost as well as screaming until he was purple in the face. His flirting had encouraged Aidou to also charm the ladies, though it was only for his entertainment. Of course, both Yuuki and Zero would shush the blonde, while Ichiru worked his magic without interruption.

Zero was shooting nervous glances towards his twin between his rants, anxious about returning to the dorm. He knew something had changed between them. He could feel it. It was gnawing away at his insides That one little move in class had drastically altered their relationship. But in what way?

Eventually, Ichiru proved that he too was distracted and fell silent, managing to urge the girls along with gestures and a small smile. Yuuki immediately noticed the change, but she kept to herself, deciding not to comment on it in the open. She found herself drawn to the twins, and was amused by her own talent at telling them apart.

After a few gentle words from Kaname to Yuuki, the bight class were in the building and the fan girls were slowly disappearing. Ichiru was ahead, winking at a lone girl, while Zero was hanging back. He felt a small hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Yuuki.

"Zero?" she began, nibbling on her lips anxiously. "Is everything okay between you and Ichiru?"

Zero's amethyst orbs widened momentarily, before he schooled his expression into something neutral. "Y-yeah, why?"

The girl bowed her head, a curtain of chestnut tresses falling into her eyes. "You both seem more distant than usual. Especially with each other."

"You can tell?" Zero inquired, his voice rough.

Yuuki lifted her head, a concerned frown on her lips. "You two are usually very close. You don't like to drift away from each other. The fact that Ichiru is all the way over there and you're here says a lot. Did something happen in class today?"

Zero shook his shaggy head of silvery hair, before turning away from the girl. "No. Our relationship is changing and we're both confused and a little afraid of each other right now."

Yuuki's forehead creased slightly as her frowned deepened. It made sense to her now. "You love him?"

She hadn't judged him, so he figured he could rely on at least one person. "He's my brother." he reminded her.

"And a relationship between brothers is frowned upon on by our society, and if anyone finds out, you don't wants anything to happen to Ichiru." At Zero's startled look, she merely smiled wistfully. "I myself know what it's like to have feelings for someone, and people may look down on that person if they were to return the feelings."

Realization dawned upon Zero, and his lavender orbs held warmth as he gazed at her. "Kuran-senpai." he murmured softly. "Does he know?"

Yuuki's head shot up and her eyes widened. "N-no!" she exclaimed - was that _fear_ in her voice? "He probably only sees me as that little girl, anyway. He doesn't know of my feelings." She looked lost and helpless, eyes shimmering as if she was close to tears, before she pulled her mask back on and smiled up at Zero. "I hope all goes well with your brother."

"Me too,"

Yuuki figured her friend didn't want to discuss that particular subject anymore, so she elbowed him playfully, eyes darting over to Ichiru, who was struggling from some stragglers. It seemed as if they had only stayed behind to speak with Ichiru.

"Have you decided what to do to get your brother back from yesterday?"

To her surprise, an anxious expression crossed his face, causing her to hesitate. Before she could apologize, he said "I haven't settled with an idea yet, but I've been considering one."

"Can I know?" Yuuki attempted a sly grin, but it came across as the mischievously cheeky smile of a three year old who'd stolen a cookie.

Zero considered denying her. She wouldn't take it too personally. She wasn't that kind of person. However, he decided to share with her. "I'm going to act upon my feelings." he stated, before heading off to patrol his designated area.

With wide eyes, Yuuki immediately turned to stare at the twin left, only to see Ichiru finally bidding the girls goodbye and leaving. The petite girl exhaled dejectedly, watching the silverette's back, before taking her own leave. They were both smart boys. They could sort out their problems. She believed in them.

Zero finalized his rounds quickly, and had complete faith that his brother would wait around outside for him. Instead of meeting his brother, the elder twin quickly retreated to his dorm. Dressed in comfortable pyjamas, teeth brushed, and stretched out on his bed, he rested a manga he'd borrowed from the library in his lap, flicking through the pages absently.

Ichiru was treading through the halls silently; fearing, yet hoping that his twin was already asleep. He had sensed that something had shifted; something had changed between the two. It was exciting, but terrifying. He didn't want to lose his brother because of this.

He slowly cracked open the door, before blinking owlishly. Zero was awake. And reading. Manga. _Yaoi_ manga. Wasn't Zero straight? After all, he _had_ gone steady with that girl from their last school….

When Zero showed no reaction to his entrance, he lazily changed into his pyjamas and escaped into the bathroom, where he took his time with brushing his teeth. This would be less awkward if Zero was asleep.

Once he was finished, Ichiru reentered the dormitory and leant against the bathroom door, lilac eyes observing his brother carefully. Zero hadn't spoken yet, nor had he given any indication that he planned to anytime soon.

"If I continue to stare at you, will you eventually speak to me?" Ichiru drawled, his countenance blank; unrevealing.

"No," Zero replied easily. He didn't look up. Not even when his brother sat himself on the end of the bed.

"Aha!" Ichiru cried, dramatically jabbing his finger in Zero's direction. "You spoke!"

Zero's silver eyebrow arched gracefully, and he slowly trailed his gaze from a panel in the manga, to his twin's innocent beam, before returning to the drawing of a teenage boy flushing brilliantly as he shyly stuttered out a confession to the main character. "You're not staring, though. More like observing."

"You looked at me!" Ichiru exclaimed cheerfully, reaching forward and tugging his twin into a tender, innocent - and somewhat childish - embrace.

Zero exhaled in resignment and set the book down, before returing the hug with a fond "So I did."

Ichiru sat, his arms encircling his brother for a while longer, before he reluctantly pulled away and sat cross legged in front of his brother, who mirrored the position. They both had a faint idea of what was coming next.

The youngest drew a ragged breath.

"Zero…" Ichiru began, uncharacteristically shy. "About earlier, I was joking, but there is something you have to know-"

He was cut off as Zero surged forwards, before his supple lips rolled reticently, timidly against the younger boy's. Lilac eyes widened in astonishment. His own lips parted as he let out a ragged breath. The pressure returned, a tad more forceful, as Zero captured Ichiru's bottom lip between his own pliant ones. It was still the softest touch, but it was enough to shake Ichiru considerably.

_This was really happening._

They didn't act further. Ichiru was shaken and stunned, while Zero was regretful. Their cheeks were equally flushed, and their expressions were mirrored in the same stupefied visage.

"Wh-?" the younger one began, but was interrupted once more by another, though more fleeting and chaste kiss.

"Good night, Ichiru." Zero whispered as he wriggled his way under the covers. He wasn't surprised when he felt Ichiru snuggle up against him.

"Good night, brother."

**A/N: So the kiss in this scene was more reticent than the steamy smooch they shared in the original version of this chapter. I think it suits more. Amirite?**


	5. Chapter 5: Am I On The Right End?

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize from the anime and/or manga, I obviously do not own.

_Your love is the barrel of a gun  
__So tell me, am I on the right end?  
__I could be just like a memory to you  
__Don't let this memory fade away  
__-All Time Low_

_**Tsumi**_

_**Chapter Five**_

_**"Am I On The Right End?"**_

Ichiru gracefully parted with his restful slumber and steadily gained his grip on reality. A small smile worked its way onto his thin lips as he realized he was bathed in the scent of his beloved brother. He rolled over and buried himself further into the blankets. He wasn't surprised that he was alone. No, Zero always seemed to awake before him.

Eventually, he deemed it time to get up. They did have class today, after all. No lazy day for Ichiru.

His soft, warm feet padded silently against the wooden floorboards as he made his way toward the bathroom door. Bracing himself, he leant against the cool oak, and a shiver danced down his flesh. It was _freezing_. He could hear the soft spray of water from in the bathroom.

Crimson bloomed on ivory flesh. Zero was naked behind that door. Naked and warm and wet. He shivered again, though this time it was not due to the cold temperature. Willing away the naughty thoughts, he hastily swept up his uniform from where it had been discarded during the night. With his clothes in his lap, he sat on the edge of the bed and relived the previous night.

Zero had been the one to initiate the kiss. So did he feel things for Ichiru? Was the taboo attraction between them mutual? Ichiru dared to hope so, though some part of him was rather weary of rejection. He would wait until Zero was out of the shower, and interrogate him. And maybe they could kiss again.

Almost as if on cue, he heard the spray shut off. Seconds later, Zero strolled into the room, clad in nothing but a fluffy, white towel to conceal his lower regions from view. Ichiru averted his gaze and ran his fingers through his silky locks, attempting to ignore the erotic thoughts that flooded his mind.

_Pretend he's dressed as a Mexican! Wait, that's pretty kinky..._

Ichiru growled, low in his throat, causing Zero to look startled. Ichiru simply shook his head of silvery tresses, before clearing his throat. "Zero," he began in a surprisingly serious voice. "About last night-..."

"I'm sorry for ditching patrols," the elder twin immediately answered as he gathered his uniform.

"That's not what I-"

"I was tired and a little confused." Zero interrupted suddenly, turning his back to his twin.

Realization dawned upon Ichiru, and his handsome features were marred with a scowl. "That makes two of us," he muttered under his breath.

A small smile quirked Zero's soft lips and he glanced over his shoulder, before gesturing towards the bathroom. "It's free now," he pointed out.

Hoping that his brother was now imagining his naked body, Ichiru nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, I noticed. I'm gonna go for my shower. I feel rather _dirty._"

The boy entered the bathroom without a backwards glance.

Zero's cheeks warmed, and he cursed softly under his breath. He dressed leisurely, though his tie was rather askew and he missed a button, before towel-drying his hair. Once he was decent, he approached the bathroom door, intent on bashing his fist against the solid wood and demanding that his brother hurried up. However, once he stood before the door, he was rigid.

_"Ahh, please... right there... Mmfff, p-please...!"_

The boy drew a ragged breath, and stepped away from the door. His cheeks had foregone the lovely rosy hue, and were now a brilliant shade of red.

"Ichiru! We're going to be late!"

He couldn't keep his agitation from his voice.

In the shower, Ichiru released his now flaccid shaft and allowed himself to enjoy the gentle caress of the warm water for a little longer, before shutting off the water.

He had succeeded. Zero would be hot and bothered all morning, and Ichiru would play. Zero had just challenged him to a very dangerous game, knowing that Ichiru _never_ fought fair.

Of course, Zero fully knew what his sadistic brother was doing, and he was going to play just as dirty.

When Ichiru finally emerged from the bathroom, he dressed agonizingly slow. Zero ignored him, and started flipping through his yaoi manga. It was quite cute, honestly. Ichiru was trying to arouse him. Zero scoffed inwardly. Over the years, he'd managed to all but perfect his self control.

"Zero, we should leave now." Ichiru murmured monotously.

Zero rose from his bed and dropped the book on his pillow. "Alright," he agreed easily, before leading the way. Ichiru trailed behind him, face void of any expression. Zero didn't comment. He couldn't.

It was a very dangerous game they played. They acted on their urges, attempting to push the other into finally pointing out what they were doing. Neither wanted that. It would either make or break them, but the risk was too high.

Upon reaching the classroom, Ichiru brushed past his brother and entered quickly. Everyone stared, as per usual. However, he felt their gazed bore deeper into him than before. It was as if they all knew he was being irrationally angry. He knew it too. Getting pissy because his brother didn't fall for his poorly thrown together plan? He was better than that!

But his pride didn't let up.

_'You fool!' _the stared screamed. Girls smiled sweetly, cooing their names. The two odd girls gazed at him curiously. Kimiko glanced between the two twins, while Arrai avoided his eyes. Ichiru looked away, not wanting their judgement.

They took their seats like usual, and Yuuki turned around to greet them, but her brilliant smile faltered when her warmly hued eyes rested on their despondent forms. Other than the fact that they looked so down, they appeared different. There was something off about them, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Throughout the lesson, Yuuki often glanced back and observed the boys' stiff behaviour. _That's it! _she eventually realized. _They're not touching or teasing each other! I hope everything is okay..._

As their second lesson began, Ichiru felt and irrepressible urge to lean against his twin's shoulder, but settled with thumping his head heavily against the desk. The pain was a welcome punishment. However, he flinched, startled, when he felt Zero's thin fingers combing softly through his hair.

"Zero..." he murmured softly, tilting his head to glance up at his brother.

"Shh, Ichiru," Zero shushed, his tone warm; loving. "It's okay; I understand."

Ichiru offered a weak, but thankful smile, before sliding his hands under his head as a makeshift cushion. He's achieved plenty of sleep during the previous night, but attempting to be angry at his brother was quite tiring.

"Sleep, Ichiru."

Ichiru complied with his brother's faintly whispered order.

**A/N: Ugh. UgH. UGH. I couldn't lengthen this one out. Unfortunately, I think it was shorter. I edited out the part where Ichiru bitched about Zero not 'coming out' to him. It was pointless.**


	6. Chapter 6: Let's Play

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize from the anime and/or manga, I obviously do not own.

. . .

_If you want to play it like a game  
__Well, c'mon, 'cmon; let's play  
__'Cause I'd rather waste my life pretending  
__Then have to forget you for one whole minute  
__-Paramore_

. . .

_**Tsumi**_

_**Chapter Six**_

_**"Let's Play"**_

. . .

For the second time in little over a few hours, Ichiru awoke alone. His vision was impared thanks to his drowsiness, but his side lacked the warmth that his brother provided. The solid wood under his arms told him that he was thill in class, and the quiet chatter alerted him to the fact that the class was still in session.

So where was Zero?

The boy rubbed tiredly at his eyes, before slowly glancing up to see his beloved brother standing by the teacher's desk. His mouth was moving rapidly while his sensei nodded, a scowl in place. Zero bowed thankfully, before returning back to his seat.

Ichiru pushed himself up into a proper sitting position and stretched out, yawning quietly.

"You made an excuse for me?" he finally asked, relaxing his position.

"Yeah," Zero responded softly, picking up his pencil, intent on getting back to work. "I got you out of detention."

The younger twin leant against his brother, his head on the boy's shoulder. "Brother," he breathed quietly.

Zero relaxed under his brother, a soft smile gracing his petal-like lips. "It was just one detention..."

Ichiru didn't respond, but Zero understood.

The younger Kiryu pulled away and doodled absently on his page, his mind on his brother. Their attraction was obvious to each other, but he wasn't sure how Zero felt about it all romantically. Did it weird him out, or was he just shy?

"If I tell you you're beautiful, does that mean I'm complimenting myself?"

Zero paused, his pencil hovering just above the paper. His eyes quickly darted to the girls in front of them, and was pleased to note that they didn't seem to be listening in. A smile curved his lips, before he answered with "I think so."

Ichiru chuckled quietly, a melodious sound.

"Well, this may sound conceited, but I think you're gorgeous."

Zero's pleasant smile morphed into something more akin to a smirk. "And you're pretty."

Ichiru tensed momentarily, before he inhaled quietly. He wouldn't let it get to him. He had to forcefully calm his pride.

"I'd react, but we're identical twins and what you say about me applies for you too."

Zero had anticipated this, and allowed his thin fingers to sweep through his brother's silken tresses. "No," he denied calmly. "You have longer hair. It's more girly. Pretty."

A quiet giggle alerted the brothers that they had an audience. Two pairs of amethyst eyes were narrowed at Yuuki's who gazed back with her chestnut eyes the size of dinner plates. Her small hands were clasped over her mouth, as if she couldn't believe she'd given herself away.

"You heard that?" Ichiru inquired, leaning over his desk to peer threatening at the girl.

Yuuki nodded silently, hands still covering her mouth.

"I may have to kill you." the younger twin sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Such a shame. You're so cute."

"What's the big deal?" Zero inqured lazily, shoulders slouched informally. "I called you pretty. So what?"

"So what?" Ichiru cried out, eyebrows knit together. "That bruised my ego! Now it needs some stroking. Where are the fangirls when you need them?"

Zero was aware that Yuuki was still watching, but she could only see above the desk. Leaning over, he nuzzled Ichiru's ear only very slightly. The younger twin shivered as he felt warm puffs of air flirt against his ear.

"I could stroke it for you..."

Ichiru's eyes widened at the uncharacteristically bold statement. He gulped quietly, before flinching in shock as he felt a hand gently skim over his crotch.

Zero quickly retracted his hand and resumed working. He felt disgusted. Disgustedly aroused. Only his brother could work him up like this. He wanted nothing more than to bend Ichiru over the desk and take him roughly, yet he wanted to push his brother as far away as possible to keep him pure and uncorrupt.

Ichiru was oblivious to Zero's mental war. He sunk in his seat, head lolling back. His mind was buzzing. Why did Zero do this in class, where he couldn't retaliate? Oh, he just wanted to throw himself at his brother, but that wasn't a good look.

_Damn it, Zero..._

The bell rang suddenly, the sound loud, harsh and unrelenting. Ichiru jolted in shock, before a sly smirk graced his handsome features.

Ichiru, Zero, Yuuki, and Sayori were the last to leave the classroom. Only Ichiru felt in a hurry, though he lagged behind with his brother.

"Well," Sayori was saying in her gentle voice. "I want a head start in homework tonight. I guess I'll be going, then."

"Bye, Yori-chan!" Yuuki chirped, waving her friend off. Once Sayori had disappeared into the sea of students, Yuuki rounded on Zero. "Can I talk to you?"

Zero glanced at Ichiru, who only arched an eyebrow, before nodding at the petite brunette. Yuuki led him around the corner of the building, before asking "How was revenge?"with a cheeky smile.

Zero felt his cheeks warm as he recalled that tender kiss he'd shared with his brother. "It was perfect," he replied cooly.

Yuuki giggled softly. "I'm glad you're happy, Zero-kun. And Ichiru-kun, though he does scare me..."

Zero chuckled lowly. "Don't worry; he doesn't have aids."

_Hmm.. that's something Ichiru would say..._

Yuuki's expression was an echo of her previous shock. "I- uh- he-..."

"It's a joke, Yuuki. I'm sorry." Zero offered a crooked smile, before indicating that they should return.

Yuuki complied, and followed Zero back to where Ichiru was leaning against a wall, watching the students mill around. He sensed Zero's return and looked up. Amethyst locked to amethyst, and they held the other's gaze until they were standing together again.

"You were quick," Ichiru drawled. "I sort of pegged you to be the type that lastsed longer. What a disappointment for me."

Zero rolled his eyes, seeing little humour in the statement, though it did light a fire in his veins.

"You know, some of us aren't as sex-obsessed as you."

"Yes they are!" Ichiru insisted defiantly. "Everyone is a horny demon inside!" His lavender eyes then rested on the petite brunette, who looked almost terrified of what he'd been saying. "Well, almost everyone..." he offered.

"I-I'm gonna study with Yori-chan. Goodbye Zero-kun, Ichiru-kun..."

The twins bade farewell to the girl, before making their way back to their dorm. Sometime during the trek, their fingers had laced together. It felt so natural, they didn't think twice. Once again, they both silently fell into the swirling depths of their own thoughts. Ichiru broke free first, and realized they were already in the privacy of their own dorm. With little delay, he pushed Zero against the wall.

"W-wha-?!"

But it was too late. Ichiru's mouth covered his own, preventing even a syllable from escaping. There was no hesitant rolling of lips. Ichiru's soft pink ones claimed Zero's own with surprising ease. Their lips moved together easily, and Ichiru coaxed Zero's tongue into play.

Zero was much more innocent about it. His wet muscle shyly rubbed against Ichiru's own, drawing a quiet, surprised moan out of his own throat. Ichiru growled in response and his teeth gnashed. At Ichiru's sudden aggression, something within Zero snapped.

Wriggling out of his brother's hold, Zero reversed their position, so Ichiru was pressed flush against the wall. He had only just managed to turn his head in time. His slowly awakening erection was rubbing against the wall, weeping at the lack of friction.

The elder twin lavished his brother's neck with little kisses and nibbles. He pinched the skin between his teeth and ran his tongue over the bruising flesh. His fingers tugged at Ichiru's hair, pulling his head to the side to allow himself more access.

Ichiru was a writhing mess, grinding against the wall. He could feel Zero's own arousal against his behind, and it only increased the haze in his mind. All he could think was...

"Zero-!"

Zero pulled back and admired the purple patterns decorating ivory flesh. It was beautiful.

"Ichiru..."

The youngest Kiryuu pulled away, and slunk into the bathroom. There was no hiding what he planned to do. Zero was all but panting when he collapsed on his bed. Lean fingers reached deftly into his bottoms, and he slowly ran his fingers along his length. It wasn't much, but the sensations from merely seconds ago were still burning in his mind.

It was only furthered along by the sounds of Ichiru's muffled moaning. Imagining that his own hand was that of his twin brother's, he finished himself off with a few tugs.

That night, the two brothers were snuggled under the blanket. They didn't speak of what had occurred merely hours ago, though they both knew this game was getting almost too dangerous.

**A/N: An update that didn't take half a year? You're welcome. It's still a little short, but whatever. I tried.**

**There are some OCs coming up that I'm super excited about, haha! **


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